Rotary printing press



y 31, 1934- 'r. E. PHYTHIAN ET AL 1,963,165

ROTARY PRINTING PRESS Filed Dec. 23. 1932 s Sheet-Sheet 1 Fig.1. Fig.1?

Inventor: 7. 6. 47!. with Attonuy.

y 31, 1934- T. E. PHYTHIAN -r AL 1,968,166

ROTARY PRINTING PRESS Filed Dec. 23. 1932 [s Sheets-Sheet 2 Attorney.

July 31 1934. 1-. E. PHYTHIAN El AL ROTARY PRINTING PRESS e Sheets-Sheet:5

Filed Dec. 23, 1932 Inven 9m y 1934- T. E. PH YTHIAN ET AL 1,968,166

I ROTARY PRINTING PRESS Filed Dec. 23, 1932 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Inventors i.3. 44466.46 l Q by l A. G. M:

Attorneyy 31, 4- T. E. PHYTHIAN ET AL ROTARY PRINTING PRESS Filed Dec.25, 1932 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Invontqrs y 31, 1934- 'r. E. PHYTHIAN ET AL I1,968,166

ROTARY PRINTING PRESS Filed Dec. 25, 1952 6 Sheets-Shet e j gmdantqrs a.a. M;

- .dttorney.

' Patented at 31, 11.934

'NHTED STATES.

ROTARY PRINTING PRESS Thomas Ewart Phythian,- Headingley, Leeds, andCharles Henry Crabtree, Leeds, England Application December fi3, 1932,Serial No. 648,658

. In Great Britain'July 31, 1931 Claims.

This invention relates to rotary printing presses, and has among itsobjects in the first place to avoid the serious consequences that mayarise upon the breakage of the web while the press 5 is in operation,and further to prevent or reduce the consequences of a winder to aminimum and to secure the throwing out of operation of the inkingmechanism.

It may be observed that a winder is caused by the web breaking at somepoint after its entry into the press, the loose end instead ofcontinuing on its way to the folders being carried either around thecylinders or the inking rollers of the press. Such an occurrence wastespaper and delays production at a vital period and is liable to result inserious breakage in the machine.

It is well known that there are devices which, when the paper breaks,through electrical or other means, cut off the motive power to thepress, but with high-speed machines a considerable number of revolutionsof the cylinders are made before the press is at rest, and a quantity ofpaper may wind round the cylinders to such an extent that it isimpossible to move the press without releasing the cylinders fromcontact by lifting the bearings, or other mechanical work. If the winderdoes not take place round the cylinders the paper is generally conveyedby means of the inking rollers to the ink drums, or even to the inkfountain. The delay in effecting clearance after these breakages may beof considerable duration.

It is also well known that electrical and mechanical brakes can beapplied to high-speed machines, but these are costly to install, take upa considerable amount of space, and impede the free working of themachine, and, as every rotating part cannot be so braked, the effect ofa sudden stoppage of the parts which are braked might be injurious tothe freely running members. It is obviously better to allow the machineto slow down in a normal manner, and to prevent the winder.

To overcome these disadvantages it has been proposed to provide, in asuitable position or posiis rendered operative by the closure of contacttions, such as before the impression cylinders, in.

serving on breakage of the web, to cause the oper-- between any one of anumber of contact devices that are distributed along the path of the webthrough the press in such manner that, on breakage of the web at anypoint, one of the contact devices becomes operative to close the circuitof the relay, whereby the closure of one or more electrical controlcircuits is effected, such control circuits energizing solenoids ormagnets by which control of the press elements may be effected.

According to the invention, moreover, closure of one of the contactdevices may result in the energising of electro-magnetic devices wherebyweb gripping jaws are closed upon the web to arrest the passage of theweb into the press by tearing it adjacent the impression cylinder or atsome other convenient position.

The detector contacts may be provided in various ways. Thus, they may beprovided in the form of studs disposed one on each side of the path ofthe web, one of which studs is movable towards the other and is mountedunder the action of a constraining force tending to move it into contactwith the other, such movement being prevented under normal conditions bythe presence of the web passing between the studs. Again, the contactsmay take the form, for example, of a roller over which the web iscarried and a runner resting upon the surface of the web in such mannerthat on breakage of the web the runner is permitted to make contact withthe roller. Such runner may be in the form of a rotatable member carriedby a supporting arm which may be mounted under the action of a springserving to apply the runner upon the web with a certain degree of force,or the runner may be provided in the form merely of a spring finger orthe like lightly pressing downwardly upon the web.

According to the invention, moreover, in the application of theinvention to machines of the 95 kind where the paper rolls are rotatedso long as the press continues to operate, there may be provided anadditional electro-magnetic device adapted to operate for the purpose ofarresting the feed of web from the rolls by applying a brake to the rollspindle or by throwing out of action the means whereby the rolls arerotated.

According to the invention, moreover, the relay controlled by thedetector contacts may serve also to effect the control ofanelectro-magnetic 105 mechanism provided to control the operation of aclutch serving to bring into action gearing by which mechanism forlifting the inking rollers from the inking drums may be renderedoperative. and if desirable the ink fountain and ink fountain roller maybe rendered inoperative. Suitable mechanism for this purpose isdisclosed in the specification of the application No. 564,863, filed24th September 1931. Alternatively, detector devices specially providedfor the purpose may serve directly to control the circuit of a separaterelay or contactor coil which in turn controls the circuit of theelectro-magnetic mechanism, independently of the relay controlling theoperation of the gripping jaws.

According to the invention, moreover, the clutch controlled by theelectro-magnetic device may serve to engage a rotating element of thepress with a gear through which rotation is con veyed to an eccentricdevice for operating the carriers of the inking rollers.

According to the invention, moreover, the said gear may serve to effectthe rotation 'of a cam or equivalent device controlling a switch deviceby which the control circuit may be broken.

The invention further comprises the features that are hereinafterdescribed and claimed.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanyingdiagrammatic drawings.

Figures 1 and 1a together represent a lay-out of the clutch mechanismand the electro-magnetic control mechanism, together with anillustration of the disposition of the gripping jaws and detectorelements in relation to the path of the web.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of part of a press in which the dispositionof the elements shown in Figure 1 may be followed.

Figure 3 is a detail view of the web-gripping jaws and theelectro-magnetic device for operating them, represented in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a side elevation of a modified form of the gripping jaws andoperating magnet.

Figure 5 is a corresponding view at right angles to Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a detail elevation to an enlarged scale of a modified formof the detector contacts.

Figure 7 is a view corresponding to Figure 6, taken at right angles.

Figure 8 is a side view of an electro-magnetic device for applying abrake to the roll spindle.

Figure 9 is a view corresponding to Figure 8, taken at right angles.

In carrying the invention into efiect according to the particulararrangement illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings,at a suitable position or positions in the press as, for example,immediately before the impression cylinder in the direction of the pathof the web, there is mounted in the frame and adjacent the web atransverse spindle a, which may carry a guide roll for-the web b, uponwhich spindle are secured arms a carrying a transversely disposed bar a?which upon the face adjacent the web is provided with an inset a ofrubber or other resilient substance. Upon the far side of the web in aposition opposed to the said bar, there is provided a second bar 0supported in brackets c in a fixed position from the framework (1 of themachine said bar being provided with a recess to receive the inset a Thesaid spindle a has also fixedly mounted upon it an arm or lev'er a whichis under the control of a solenoid or magnet e and which is for thepurpose connected to the core e of the solenoid or to the armature ofthe magnet so that when the solenoid or magnet is energised the spindlea is rotated to throw the bar a provided with the resilient inset aforwardto grip the web against the fixed bare.

Detector devices are fixed along the path of the paper from the pointimmediately after it has passed the impression cylinder or the grippingdevice hereinbefore described. Each detector conveniently comprises afixed stud or contact ,f, disposed upon one side of the path of the webb and conveniently adjustable towards or away from the said path, and acorresponding spring contact I on the other side of the path of the web,which contact is maintained from engagement with the first by thepresence of the web. The said detectors are connected in a low voltagecontrolling circuit represented by the leads f f in which circuit isincluded a relay or contactor coil g which, when energised, serves toclose a circuit from the usual supply mains it through the leads e e e,e to the solenoid or magnet e of the gripping device. The low voltagecurrent may be supplied by a battery or from a transformer or through aresistance connected between the mains and the coil g at h In Figures 4and 5 a modified construction of gripping mechanism is shown in whichthe closure of the jaws is effected under spring action and theelectro-magnetic device is used merely to eifect the release of a catchnormally holding the jaws open. Thus, as in the constructionhereinbefore described, there is provided a spindle a upon which aremounted arms a bearing the bar a the spindle a being carried in bearingsin the brackets c which support the fixed bar 0. The brackets are alsoconveniently provided with stops 0 determining the outermost position ofthe arms a to facilitate the resetting of the device after operation.The bars a and c are provided each with an inset of rubber c c and thebar a is provided with pins which enter corresponding holes in the inset0 The spindle a is further provided at a suitable position with the arma extending in line with the arms a and a torsion spring a is disposedaround the spindle and anchored at the one end in the bracket 0 and atthe other end in the boss of the arm a A similar spring may be providedat the far end of the spindle suitably anchored at the other end in acollar or the like upon the spindle. The outer end of the arm a isprovided with an adjustable catch member a for co-operation with asimilar catch of the electro-magnet e. The latter is provided with anarmature e pivoted at the one end and linked at the other in such manneras to permit its movement in the direction of the axis of the core ofthe magnet. The

outer or linked end is provided with a catch member e suitablypositioned and adapted to engage the catch member a. Such engagement ismaintained normally under the action of a spring e anchored to'a pin emounted in the framing of the press. For the purpose of permitting readysetting of the device the outer end of the spindle a is provided withflattened surfaces or of hexagonal or other shape for the reception of aspanner or the like by which the arms a may be thrown into contact withthe stops 0 to permit the engagement of the catch members a and a. Onthe energization of the magnet e through the operation of the detectorcontacts, the armature e is attracted and the catch members a and e aredisengaged so that the bar a is thrown over for the gripping of the webunder the action of the torsion springs a".

In Figures 6 and 7 is illustrated an alternative form of the detectorcontacts. In. this construction the web is carried over a roller iwhich, as indicated by the conductor i is connected into the controlcircuit. Arms 1' are mounted upon the spindle i of the roller 2' andserve to'carry in fixed position a spindle 1' upon which is rotatablymounted an arm 7' serving to bear at the outer end the spindle of arunner 7 adapted to rest upon the roller 1' under the action of atorsion sprLng a coiled about the spindle 7' and anchored at one end tothe collar 9'? fixed upon the spindle and at the other end to the bossof the arm; 7' the position of the arm 7' being determined by anadjustable collar 7' The second lead 7" is suitably connected to thespindle 7' which is insulated, for example, by means of a bush 1' andcollars 7' from the bearing in the arm 1' Contact'is advantageously madewith the runnerv by way of a leaf spring contact arm 7' mounted upon thearm i to ensure effective conduction of the current from theroller i tothe spindle 7' without reliance merely upon the contact of the runner 7'with its spindle. In the operation of the device it will be understoodthat the web being carried around the roller i breaks the contactbetween the said roller and the runner 7' On breakage of the web contactis made between these parts, and in consequence the circuit is closedfor the operation of therelay or contactor col 9.

Means may be provided, such as a hand switch is (Figure 1), for thebreaking at will of the control circuit in order to permit the resettingof the web after operation of the device.

It will be understood that the detector devices may be of any number andmay be fixed inany part of the press between the printing couple and thefolder.

The control circuit may serve by means of the relay or contactor coil gor a similar device provided for the purpose to make or break contactbetween two terminals 1 to which are connected the leads 1 l of thepress button circuits represented by the conductors 1 l which areprovidedto permit arrest of the rotation of the motor of the press, V

It will be understood that the invention is particularly applicable topresses in which the paper rolls are driven so long as the presscontinues in operation. In such machines the control circuit may serveto operate another electro-niagnetic device which actuates a brake, forexample, a

' brake band applied to the roll spindle As illustrated in Figures 8 and9, the spindle m for the reel-is provided with abrake drum -n formed intwo sections n M, of which the section 1'z cooperates with a brakebandanchored at the one end to an anchor device 0 and at the other end i toa bell crank lever o pivoted at M. Such brake band may be operated, forexample, by hand mechanism. The section n cooperates with a brake bandwhich is anchored by means of the anchor device p and at the other endis connected to an adjustable device p which is pivoted upon thearmature r of a magnet 1', which armature is itself pivoted at one endand linked at the other so that it may have a movement in the directionof the magnet r.- The magnet r is suitably supported by a bracket r fromthe frame of the reel stand, and is connected into the circuitcontrolled by thedetector contacts or into a circuit specially providedfor the purpose and controlled by detectors provided for the purpose.Thus, on the breakage of the web and the consequent bringing into actionof one or more of the detectors, the circuit through the magnet r isclosed so that the armature r is attracted to tighten the brake bandabout the section 12 of the brake drum n.

For the purpose of automatically throwing out of operation the inkingmechanism upon breakage of the web, the inking rollers q are carried ina frame or frames q of known construction adapted for movement to carrythe inking rollers into and out of engagement with the inking drum qunder the action of a rotatable eccentric q suitably mounted'so that byits rotation it may impart a lateral movement to a spindle g whichcarries the double-armed member 11 for moving the frame q and which alsois provided to. carrya disc cam q and a hand-operating lever q" and achain wheel q which is geared by a chain q with a chain wheel s looselymounted upon the shaft s of the inking drum and which is integrallyformed or otherwise fitted with a friction clutch element s The shaft ofthe inking drum has slidably, but non-rotatably, mounted upon it theco-operating member s of'the friction clutch, and such member is mountedunder the control of an operating lever t pivoted at one end upon afixed pivot t and connected at the other end with the core of a solenoidt. The said lever is advantageously mounted under the action of a spring15 tending to maintain the slidable clutch member s out of engagement.

The solenoid t is supplied with current from the mains h or fromanothersuitable source under the control of the relay or contactor coilg.-

It' will thus be understood that on breakage of the web and the closureof the contacts of one of the detectors and of the circuit of the relayor contactor coil g the circuit through the. solenoid t is closed andthe lever t is thrown over to engage the clutch. Thus, the eccentric qis rotated through the chain gear and the inking rollers are moved fromcontact with the inking drum g The same movement of the eccentric mayserve in the manner described in the specification of Application No.564,863 to render the ink fountain u and ink fountain roller uinoperative.

In a position adjacent the cam q before referred to there is provided alever 12 which may be a bell crank lever,' carrying the contactor orswitch element 1: that is included in the circuit of the relay orcontactor coil g. The said lever is adapted to engage the cam q througha suitable runner v The cam is so formed that after a pre-determinedmovement'of the chain wheel q that is associated with it the lever 11 iscaused to break the;.control circuit so that the relay or contactor coilbreaks the main circuit of the electro-magnetic device and thus theclutch lever t is pulled into the ofi position by the spring t so thatthe clutch is disengaged and the drive of the eccentric arrested. Thebreakage of the circuit produced by the lever '0 controlled by the camcontinues until such time as the web has been reintroduced into thepress and the inking rollers q have been brought into contact with theinking drum, and where necessary the fountain and.

the gripping device. Other means than the pins before referred to mayalso be provided for engaging the web of paper so that when the jawsopen under the spring action upon deenergisation of the electro-magneticdevice the paper may be retained for resetting into the press.

It will also be understood that the electro-magnetic mechanism forpreventing a winder may be applied in presses which are not fitted withmeans for throwing out of action the inking fountain and the inkingrollers, and similarly that the electro-magnetic control of the lattermechanism may be applied in machines which are not provided with thegripping devices for preventing a "winder. Similar electro-magneticcontrol mechanism may alsorbe provided for other purposes than thathereinbefore indicated, such as for the purpose of tripping the press onbreakage of the web.

We claim:

1. In rotary web-printing presses having a web braking device, a brakingdevice for the web supply roll and a device for interrupting the actionof the inking mechanism, control mechanism comprising a plurality ofelectrical contact devices distributed along the path of the web, thecontacts of which devices are maintained apart by the web, a source ofcurrent, and an electric relay connected in a circuit which is closed byway I of one of the contact devices, said electric relay comprising acontact closing member responsive to energization of said relay,contacts closed by said contact closing member, a source of current,electro-magnetic control devices in circuit with said contacts and saidsource of current and elements responsive to said electro-magneticcontrol devices determining the operation of said web braking, web rollbraking and inking mechanism interrupter devices.

2. In rotary web-printing presses, control mechanism comprising aplurality of electrical contact devices distributed along the path ofthe web, the contacts of which devices are maintained apart by the web,a source of current, and an electric relay connected in a circuit whichis closed by any one of the contact devices, said electric relaycomprising a contact closing member responsive to energization of saidrelay, contacts closed by said contact closing member, a source ofcurrent, solenoid control devices in circuit with said contacts, a corefor each of said solenoid control devices responsive to energization ofthe said devices, and web gripping jaws disposed respectively onopposite sides of the path of the web and caused to close upon the webby movement of the solenoid cores.

3. In rotary web printing presses having a web braking device, a brakingdevice ror the web supply roll and a device for interrupting the actionof the inking mechanism, control mechanism comprising a plurality ofelectrical contact devices distributed along the path of the web, thecontacts of which devices are maintained apart by the web, a source ofcurrent, and an electric relay connected in a circuit which is closed byany one of the contact devices, said electric relay comprising a contactclosing member responsive to energization of said relay, contacts closedby said contact closing member, a source of current, solenoid controldevices in circuit with said contacts, a core for each of said solenoidcontrol devices responsive to energization of the said devices, webgripping jaws disposed respectively on opposite sides of the path of theweb and caused to close upon the web by movement of the solenoid cores,other electro-magnetic control devices in circuit with said contacts ofsaid relay, and elements responsive to said electro-magnetic controldevices determining the operation of 'said web braking, web roll brakingand inking mechanism interrupter devices.

4. In rotary web-printing presses, control mechanism according to claim2, a spring acting on said web gripping jaws to close them upon the web,the said jaws being maintained open against the action of the spring bythe solenoid cores when the solenoids are not energised.

5. In rotary web-printing presses provided with a reel from which theweb is supplied to the press, control mechanism comprising a pluralityof electrical contact devices distributed along the path of the web, thecontacts of which devices are maintained apart by the web, a source ofcurrent, and an electric relay connected in a circuit which is closed byany one of the contact devices, said electric relay comprising a contactclosing member responsive to energisation of said relay, contacts closedby said contact closing member, a source of current, an electro-magneticcontrol device in circuit with said-contacts and said source of current,a brake that is operative upon the reel from which the web is supplied,and an element responsive to said electro-magnetic control device toapply said brake to said reel on energisation of said control device.

6. In rotary web-printing presses, control mechanism according to claim5, wherein said brake comprises a brake drum upon said reel and a brakeband embracing said brake drum, and said electro-magnetic control devicecomprises a magnet and a relatively movable armature, said armaturebeing connected to and controlling the operation of said brake band.

7. In rotary web-printing presses provided with an inking drum andinking rollers that are movable towards and away from said ink drum,control mechanism comprising a plurality of electrical contact devicesdistributed along the path of the web, the contacts of which devices aremaintained apart by the web, a source of current, and an electric relayconnected in a circuit which is closed by any one of the contactdevices, said electric relay comprising a contact closing memberresponsive to energization of said relay, contacts closed by saidcontact closing member, a source of current, an electro-magnetic controldevice in circuit with said contacts and said source of current, and anelement movable in response to said electro-magnetic control device,said element imparting movement to said inking rollers to carry them outof engagement with said inking drum.

8. In rotary web-printing presses comprising an inking drum, a frameadapted for movement relatively to said inking drum, inking rollerscarried by said frame and moved into and out of engagement with theinking drum upon movement of the frame, control mechanism comprising acontrol spindle, eccentrics in fixed relation to said control spindleand serving on rotation of said spindle to impart movement to saidframe, a rotatable driving spindle, a clutch element axially movable butrotatable with said driving spindle, a clutch element loosely mountedupon said driving spindle and geared to said control spindle, aplurality of electrical contact devices distributed along the path ofthe web, the contacts of which devices are maintained apartby the web, asource of current, and an electric relay connected in a circuit which isclosed by any one of the contact devices, said electric relay comprisinga contact closing member responsive to energisation of said relay,contacts closed by said contact closing member, a source of current, anelectro-magnetic control device in circuit with said contacts and saidsource .01 current, and an element movable in response to energisationof said electro-magnetic control device and imparting its movement tothe axially movable clutch member of the driving spindle.

9. In rotary web-printing presses provided with an inking drum, inkingrollers movable comprising a contact closing member responsive toenergization of said relay, contacts closed by said contact closingmember, a source of current in electro-magnetic control device incircuit with said contacts and said source of current, and an elementmovable in response to said electro-magnetic control device, whichelement controls the movement of the ink fountain roller.

10. In rotary web-printing presses provided with control mechanismaccording to claim 8, a cam upon said control spindle, a co-operatingelement operated by said cam, and a switch included in the circuit ofsaid electric relay, which switch is operated by said element to breakthe relay circuit when the movement of the inking rollers is completed.

THOMAS EWART PHYTHIAN. CHARLES HENRY CRABTREE.

